Power supply should meet summer demand
The California ISO's summer assessment report said an estimated 700 megawatts of new generation will be added to the ISO control area this year, as well as 230 megawatts in new demand response programs. These new generations roughly equal the 1,000 megawatt growth in the base load since last summer.
The ISO expects demand to peak at 47,847 megawatts. Last summer, unexpectedly high temperatures caused the demand to reach 50,270, a historic high on July 24, 2006.
Despite the increase in supply, ISO vice president of operations Jim Detmers said voluntary conservation will be needed to balance supply and demand.
"We will count on consumer to do their part to reduce electricity use on peak days when the California appetite for megawatts rises with the mercury," he said. "New power plants, transmission additions and demand response resources will help us keep pace with load growth, but margins will be tight on peak days, especially in Southern California."
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A report late last year by the Independent Electricity System Operator found that the province could fully eliminate natural gas from the electricity system by 2050, starting with a moratorium in 2027, but it will require about $400 billion in capital spending and more generation including new, large-scale nuclear plants.
Decarbonizing the grid, in addition to new nuclear, will require more conservation efforts, more renewable energy sources and more energy storage, the report concluded.
The IESO…
